when do you use a pony bottle?

[matt_unique]

When I'm looking for a false sense of security or if I feel like running out of gas twice. . .

A diver would need to go back to the drawing board to figure out gas consumption and monitoring if that happens with any tanks.

--Matt

 

[skyking]

1. All dives below 30 feet
2. "Most" dives below 20 feet
3. "Some" dives shallower than 20 feet.

30 cu ft, back mounted - out of the way. Penetrations are for better-trained divers than me at this point (that WILL change and then I'll worry about a sling).

 

[james croft]

im wondering when people mainly use a pony bottle.

When I'm just horsing around.

 

[Scared Silly]

When my primary tank is dead and my buddy is too far away that I can not reach them. This has never happened so I guess I would have to say I mainly do not use mine just carry it around ;-).

Now if you are wondering when I carry it that is a differenet question . Which to answer is I carry it on most dives. I use it strictly as redundant system when I have nothing else.

 

[USCG flyer]

I used to always carry a 19cf pony when I was stationed in the Northeast. When I started diving in Alabama I didn't worry about it. Then two weeks ago, while on a shallow dive I had a HP hose blow in pretty murky water. My buddy was right behind me, but if we had gotten separated and were any deeper...it might not have been so good. It's going with me on my dives today.

 

[Packhorse]

I used to always carry a 19cf pony when I was stationed in the Northeast. When I started diving in Alabama I didn't worry about it. Then two weeks ago, while on a shallow dive I had a HP hose blow in pretty murky water. My buddy was right behind me, but if we had gotten separated and were any deeper...it might not have been so good. It's going with me on my dives today.

Do you know how fast a 90 CF tank will empty once a HP hose blows?
about 22 minutes.
Id be more concerned with a LP hose blowing out.

 

[captain]

When I'm looking for a false sense of security or if I feel like running out of gas twice. . .

Best answer so far.

 

[gurumasta]

Do you know how fast a 90 CF tank will empty once a HP hose blows?
about 22 minutes.
Id be more concerned with a LP hose blowing out.

why is this? someone like me, who knows very little, would assume that a hp hose would leak more air than a lp.

When I'm looking for a false sense of security or if I feel like running out of gas twice. . .

in all serious, why is it a false sense of security?

 

[do it easy]

why is this? someone like me, who knows very little, would assume that a hp hose would leak more air than a lp.

The HP hose has an tiny orifice to restrict the gas flow- the end that plugs into the reg almost looks solid, except for a tiny pin prick of a hole.

The LP hoses don't have that little restriction since most of the time, you want them to deliver as much air as possible.

 

[jim T.]

Or....Worst generalization so far?
You decide!
xiSKIGUY and Captain,
There ARE pros to using a pony bottle. Do that search and read all about 'em. Not everyone dives or can carry doubles, trusts their "pick up" buddies, believes that single tanks NEVER subscribe to Murphy's Law, etc.

If used intelligently and never to prolong a planned single tank dive, pony bail outs have their place.
I know that my experience is meager compared to others, but this seems like a no brainer to me if the pros and cons are carefully considered and weighed, pony bail out bottles can be a useful tool.
I've had enough boat gear break unexpectedly to carry redundant parts for everything involving safety that I'd be ignoring experience and instinct to think that a pony is a bad thing if drill and practice with it is ongoing.

It constantly amazes me to see divers at shore dives and boat dives who loudly disdain the wearing of a bail out bottle to breathe off of in an emergency but don't mind strapping on an Argon bottle for their drysuit to stay warmer.